5. Corruption (2)
The demon taught me many things.
He explained everything slowly and clearly, with utmost sincerity.
[This world is God’s miniature garden.]
“Miniature garden?”
[Yes, just as the owner of a garden enjoys looking at the beautifully decorated garden but doesn’t pay attention to each and every flower, God is not interested in each individual human. Of course, the story changes for ‘special’ flowers or trees. Now, do you know who these special flowers and trees are?]
“The Saint and the Hero?”
[Yes, excellent. That’s the right answer.]
The demon’s explanation felt like an old tale.
Just as a crying child forgets why they were crying and gets engrossed in a story, I gradually became engrossed in the demon’s explanation.
[So, what should you do with these flowers and trees? And how should you ruin the garden? What can you do to upset the owner of the garden? Would it be resolved by simply uprooting the flowers and setting fire to the trees?]
“…No, the owner would just get angry that the garden is ruined.”
[Yes, merely destroying them is not enough. They can simply replant the flowers again, and they can simply regrow the trees once more, that’s it. Now, do you remember when you truly despaired? Was it when you were abandoned by someone you loved? Was it when you lost your place in this world? Was it when your loved one died? Or was it when you saw a loved one’s hand hanging as a decoration?]
Immersed in the story, the demon’s words brought back unpleasant memories.
The day I ran away from the mansion, the day I was chased out of the mansion, and… the day Nae died.
But what I felt recalling all these events was not despair.
It was pain, shame, sorrow, and anger.
“…No.”
[Yes. That’s right. You have never despaired. Do you know why?]
“Because there was hope.”
[Yes. Exactly. You had hope. When you ran away from the mansion, there was hope that things would get better, after losing your place, there was hope in a girl named Nae, and after that girl died… there was hope that you could bring her back to life.]
The demon, who said this, leaned close to the mirror and grinned maliciously.
[Now, let me ask you again. When did you truly despair?]
“…When I realized that all hope is fleeting.”
[Exactly. That’s where you should start. Now, the flowers, the trees, and the garden. And even the owner of the garden who looks at it. What should you do to bring despair to them all?]
“Give them hope, and then crush it all.”
When the demon’s story ended, my heart was filled with a feverish joy.
Yes. Yes, yes. That’s it, that’s what I should do.
[Now, you can do as you please. The answer is in your hands.]
“But you can’t destroy everything. Moderation is an aesthetic. And if you destroy everything….”
[“You won’t be able to enjoy it anymore.”]
The demon and my voice overlapped.
Beyond the repaired mirror, the demon smiled radiantly.
[Now, what would you like to do first? Shall we tear the hero’s limbs apart and hang them in the streets? Or make the saint be defiled by the hands of those she saved? Or shall we burn this minature garden built by God to ashes, turning it into a part of hell?]
The demon reminded me of the suggestions I had first brought up, but none of them seemed particularly appealing.
No, to be precise, they all seemed interesting, but….
As the demon said, they were too precious to enjoy just yet.
I turned my back and picked up my head, which I had laid down among the tree roots.
“For now…. I want to travel the world.”
[Indeed, may I ask why?]
“The biggest reason is…. I want to show the world to Nae.”
[Indeed, may I ask the reason?]
“The first and biggest reason…. I want to show the world to Nae.”
As I chuckled and stroked Nae’s head, a clump of hair fell out from the rotting scalp.
Ah, I sighed, and a hand popped out from the mirror that had been floating around me, reaching for Nae’s head.
“Don’t touch Nae!”
As I puffed up my cheeks and hugged Nae’s head, the hand that had popped out of the mirror surrendered as if it understood.
[I meant no harm. I just wanted to restore that head to its original state, just like I healed your wrist.]
“Really?”
[Really.]
At that, I frowned for a moment, then cautiously held out Nae’s head.
As the demon’s hand touched Nae’s head, muscles and flesh grew on the rotting head, eyes formed, and hair grew.
“Wow! Nae’s back!”
[I’m glad if you’re happy.]
I tilted my head at the demon’s reply.
Honestly, I thought he would ask why I was carrying around a dead person’s head and talking like this, but why isn’t he saying anything?
After a moment’s thought, I honestly voiced my question.
Why doesn’t he find it strange?
“Isn’t it weird to travel around with a dead person’s head?”
[Hm? Ah, you’re aware that she’s dead. I thought you were delusional and didn’t realize she was dead. I worried for nothing. And carrying around a skull is nothing unusual among us demons. Some even carry around living heads, so carrying a couple of heads is no big deal.]
“You have a sharp toungue.”
[If you felt that way, I apologize.]
“Nae was precious to me, so watch your words. Or I’ll get angry.”
[Yes, I will do so.]
The demon, who had bowed his head, raised it and asked another question.
[Then, going back to the earlier conversation, if the biggest reason is to show Nae the world, what’s the other reason?]
“I want to see the world myself.”
At my answer, the demon looked at me as if he was evaluating me, and threw a question in a low voice.
[“Hmm. Is it because you want to see the world with Nae?”]
Who would want to see such a world?
The words rose to the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed them back down.
What I said could easily be misunderstood, even by me.
Instead of getting annoyed, I decided to explain it carefully, just like the demon had done for me.
“It’s a bit different. Of course, it would be nice to see the world with Nae. But the reason I want to see the world is for another reason.”
[What reason is that?]
“In a long and elaborate course meal, the most important thing is the appetizer, right? It stimulates your appetite, and while hearing about what dishes will come next, it heightens your anticipation. Seeing the world for me is like an appetizer. For the main dish, for the dessert… the start of the meal.”
Perhaps I was influenced by the demon’s storytelling, I ended up using an unnecessary metaphor.
Well, what does it matter? No one’s criticizing me.
“To know how best to destroy this world, first, I need to know about this world, don’t I?”
To simplify, that’s it.
Hearing my explanation, the demon clapped his hands, tears streaming down his face.
[Excellent… truly excellent! My eyes did not deceive me!]
Ignoring the demon’s praise with a smile, I stroked Nae’s soft hair and slowly started walking.
“It seems like it will take a lot of time to walk everywhere, is there no other way?”
[Another way, hmm. If we ride a hellhorse, we’ll be quickly discovered due to the demonic energy, and flying in the sky would attract too much attention… How about using the Hellgate?]
“Hellgate?”
[Yes. This mirror I’ve created, it’s a door to the underworld, the other side of the world. If you wish, I can take you anywhere you want through this door.]
Now, give me your hand.
The demon said so, extending his hand.
Nodding, I took the demon’s hand. The cracked mirror mended itself, becoming clean and clear. The demon, with a satisfied smile, led me into the mirror. With Nae’s head resting in my arm, I stepped into the mirror.
“Your eyes may hurt, so could you close them for a moment? Yes, come deeper. Watch your step, there are stones below. Yes, very good. Slowly. Slowly….”
As the demon’s voice drew nearer, it transformed into a soft, feminine one. Soon, I felt as if my head was passing through water, and then, for a moment…
“Now, you may open your eyes.”
Upon hearing this, I opened my eyes to meet those of a beautiful woman with hair as black as mine and cat-like, thin, yellow pupils. Surprisingly, the demon’s face looked exactly like Nae’s.
The color of the hair and eyes, and the difference in hands and teeth, were the only things that assured me. Ah, so the demon has made a face just like Nae’s, I thought.
Why would she go to such lengths? I was more puzzled than upset.
No, I was both upset and puzzled. Unsure of how to react, I simply stared at the demon, who chuckled and placed a hand on her chest.
Even her laughing face was similar.
“Hehe, how is it? A face just like your beloved Nae’s—”
“Yeah, it’s definitely upsetting.”
Reaching out, I placed my hand on the demon’s cheek, and her head exploded on the spot. I hadn’t done anything in particular, but the sudden explosion of the demon’s head startled me, causing me to blink rapidly.
‘Why did her head explode when I didn’t do anything?’
I was slightly, no, more than slightly flustered. I didn’t know how to get out of here.
More than the demon being dead, I was more worried about how to get out of here.
Wooow, how cool!
Thx.